The US PGA Tour kicks off its new-look Asian Swing in South Korea on Thursday with the world's top golfers lured by megabucks in three tournaments with no cuts.
This week's $9.75 million CJ Cup, where four-time major winner and world number one Brooks Koepka is defending champion, will be followed by the Tour's first foray into Japan at the Zozo Championship next week with an identical purse on offer.
The swing concludes at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, which has seen its prize fund beefed up to $10.25 million, and the tournaments are a chance to rack up Fedex Cup points early in the season.
Koepka will be joined at Nine Bridges on picturesque Jeju Island by drawcards such Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Sergio Garcia who are all making their debut at the event, first held in 2017.
Fellow major champions Justin Thomas, the 2017 winner here, Jason Day, Patrick Reed, Graeme McDowell, Danny Willett and Gary Woodland are also among the world-class cast lifting the curtain on the three-week $29.75 million jaunt.
- Decision time for Woods -
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- Spieth tries to sneak in -
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"But I think if I can really play well have a chance and maybe grab a win that may be enough to sneak in."